---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dileep Raj <[email protected]> Date: 9 March 2010 16:07 Subject: Solidarity to Chtralekha's resistence: Vahanajatha Thudangi To:
Karivelloor, March9, 10.15 am Despite last minte withdrawals from 'flux artist' and threats to vehicle driver, the jatha started today from Karivelloore. Reshma Bharadwaj welcomed the gathering (rather brought the gathering into being, typical of Vahanajatha methodlogy). *Reshma Bharadwaj* Though neither payyannur nor Karivelloore is a familiar place, the very name Payyannur evokes pride and thrill of late thanks to Chitralekha's persistent resistance. Even in penury she showed that swimming against all odds is possible.Her struggle to assert the right to work inspires every woman who want to live without compromising selfrespect. That is why women activists are coming forward in public supporting her. Even in government projects the ideal space defined for women is home.That is the reason why statistics shows constant decrease in the number of working women in this 'progressive' land.Chitralekha came out of this imposing defintion and dared riding and owning an autorickshaw. Its the duty of everyone to stand by her in this fight. *Rekha Raj* (inauguaral speech) Its a pity that after five years I am revisiting Payyannur in connection with Chitralekha's experiences. my first visit was for a convention protesting casiest discriminations and insults against Chitralekha. The situation is worsening, not showing any signs of democratising, indicating the castiest foundations of North Malabar society and politics. Chitralekha refused to do traditional jobs and entered into a profession which is normally an all male domain.This very act marked her as an 'unusual' or 'abnormal' woman'. Normal women are expected to become good housewives, looking after husbands and children.Chitralekha's body language (which defies submission) and her refusal to comply to caste hierachy further helped her qulaify as 'bad' woman. She lacks most of the 'virtues' of goodwomen. But we. women who stand by her find these very charecteristics and attitudes as 'virtues' very rare among women in Kerala. Experinces of Chitralekha when she entered the heart of male world should provoke all of us who boast of 'progressive' Kerala to think about the absence of dalits in public sphere and the castiest hierarchies prevailing in the heart of left bastions. Campaigna agnist Chiltralekha deploys typical and predicatble straegies. Complaints raised against her are - she abuses - she uses 'foul language' - she drinks - her character is shady What is thoughtprovoking is the fact that the moment such allegations are propagated, a woman looses whatever little support she enjoys in the neighbourhood. These are the ultimate crimes that could be ascribed to women in our society. Once depicted thus, society could legitimately kill them.We have seen the xeperience of shari and many women in past. *But then why and how Chitralekha decides to resist ?* Why she refuses to surrender even when she and her husband faces continuos threates and attacks? That is hoping that there exist a democartic space in the interstices of our society.That exactly is the spirit and hope propelling us when we do something like this. That exactly is the energy enebling us to organise a convention like this. If one is to lead a discilined life obeying the rules set for becoming a good woman it will become practically impossible to go out of home.Dali women are even otherwise assumed to be bad women who are 'available'. They are to be 'civilised', 'set right'. When Reshma and Jaseela went to police station for applying for mike sanction, they repeated all thses complaints aganist Chitralekha and urged them to 'straighten' her! What are the criteria for this straightening? Who formed them? Who are we to reform others? Why is it so that Chitrlekha is viewed as somebody to be 'reformed'? *Nattukar* There are other myths which feeds into the fascist savarna commonsense. take for instance terms like 'nattukar', 'thozhilalikal', 'janangal'etc. who are they? How many women are member of that classes? How many dalits are included in such sets? Can we see a single woman in the mobs who claim to be 'people' and abuse couples who stay legally in a room or house ? Chitralekha's struggle need to be taken up as one for docratisation of citizenship and public sphere. *Baby* (Convenor, Streevedi, Kasargode District ) All women should take Chitralekha as model and resist evry single problem faced by them. Covering up or keeping silence wont help solving the problem. Thus supporting chitralekha's resistnece is significant for the womens' movement in Kerala. Apart from Rekha, Reshma , Baby Jaseela and Usha are taking part in the jatha. Todays' jatha will end with a public meeting in Edat, Chitralekha's home town in which K . Ajitha, anweshi president will take part. -- Dileep Raj -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
